CAIRO, (Reuters) – The African Football Confederation (CAF) has declined to back Liberia’s Musa Bility in his bid to stand for the FIFA presidency.
Bility addressed CAF’s executive committee in Cairo at his own request yesterday but was told he would not get their backing although they wished him good luck, CAF said in a statement.
The decision comes with South African businessman and former political prisoner Tokyo Sexwale mulling whether to stand. A spokesman for Sexwale told Reuters on Saturday that he was considering a bid.
CAF also said it had nominated Hani Abo Rida of Egypt and Constant Omari from the Democratic Republic of Congo as its representatives on the FIFA task force which has been set up to propose reforms to soccer’s world governing body.
Both are members of the FIFA executive committee.
CAF said in a statement that Bility “had the opportunity to explain the reasons that motivated his decision to run for the FIFA presidency.”
But it added: “After a fraternal exchange, full of sincerity and cordiality, the CAF executive committee decided unanimously not to give Musa Bility the support he requested… wishing him good luck in the continuation of his mission.”
Bility needs the written endorsement of at least five football associations to get onto the ballot for the election to choose a replacement for outgoing president Sepp Blatter on Feb. 26. The deadline for candidates to register is Oct. 26.
Bility has had previous run-ins with CAF and its president Issa Hayatou.
In 2013, he was at the forefront of an unsuccessful bid to overturn a change to CAF election rules that ensured long-serving Hayatou won another term as CAF president.
